Defenders Gabby George, Georgia Brougham, Megan Finnigan and Taylor Hinds have agreed new deals with Everton.

George, Brougham and Finnigan have penned two-year contracts, with Hinds putting pen to paper on a one-year deal until the summer of 2020.

The commitment of the four young defenders is a boost to Everton ahead of the 2019-20 WSL season and boss Willie Kirk spoke of the importance for the Club to retain young talent.

He said: “If we are going to develop this squad and be successful, it’s very important that we invest in and retain our best, young, talented players.

“The contract extensions given to Meg, Georgia, Taylor and Gabby are testament to this.  All four are still young and have areas they need to, and want to, improve. All four of them have also accumulated a lot of WSL minutes over the last few years, allowing them to mature as players.

“Our playing philosophy demands that our defenders excel in 1v1 defensive situations, but they also need to be technically proficient and these four young English defenders tick both boxes.

“They are an important part of our ambitious future”

Centre-back George joined Everton in 2014 and is considered one of English football’s brightest talents.

The 22-year-old has two senior England caps and was part of the Blue Girls defence alongside Brougham and Finnigan which claimed the WSL 2 Spring Series title in 2017.

Centre-back Brougham, 23, joined Everton from Manchester City in 2016, while 20-year-old full-back Hinds – who has been capped at England Under-19 level - moved to the Club from Arsenal at the start of 2018.

Finnigan, who can play in defence and midfield, has been at Everton since the age of nine, with the 21-year-old most recently representing England Under-20s.